Appellate Practice 

Litigation can involve a lot of decisions, and sometimes mistakes are made.  We’re all human.  Appellate practice provides an avenue for review of those decisions.  But appeals are not like trials.  They involve a distinct set of considerations for a distinct audience, a panel of appellate judges.

 

Appellate judges are not necessarily swayed by the same arguments that may sway a trial judge or jury.  They rely on written authority, thoughtfully applied to the facts apparent in the trial record.  Litigants must consider whether their arguments of error were properly raised in the lower court to preserve them for further review.  They must also consider whether the error was harmful to the case or whether the finder of fact may have reached the same result, either way.  

 

An experienced appellate attorney is trained to identify potential issues for appeal, research them effectively, and present them in a way that will resonate with the appellate court.  That’s what we do here. 

 

WAG will litigate an appeal from start to finish, providing value for clients through:

 

• Developing cohesive strategies for appeal;

• Evaluating an appellate record;

• Researching appellate issues;

• Analyzing facts and arguments to best advance client interests;

• Drafting and editing appellate briefs or motions;

• Providing effective oral argument; and

• Reviewing decisions to assess next steps. 

 

In most cases, the time to appeal arises when a final judgment is entered, but there are some non-final orders that can be reviewed earlier.  We handle both final and non-final appeals for all types of civil cases, as well as petitions for writs filed directly with the appellate court. 

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Board certified in appellate practice, Mary Walter has appeared in all six of our state appellate courts, the Florida Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court, and she is well-versed in the rules.  Whether you are seeking to undo an unfavorable decision or to preserve a hard-fought victory, let us help you navigate your appellate proceeding with confidence to obtain the best result for your client.